Where: Chico High Choir Room

It's disquieting that with such positive budget news, CUSD is considering cutting athletics at the high schools. CUTA is taking a proactive stance to ensure that athletics in CUSD are NOT cut. It is our hope that CUSD will see how important athletics are to the district as a whole, and we feel it is in our best interests to be a part of the solution, somehow, someway. The goal of this meeting with coaches is to discuss and air issues revolving around the funding of sports and to perhaps discuss solutions and form a plan of action.

Since our Demand to Bargain in December, your Bargaining team has met with the District on five occasions and made modest progress on a variety of issues.

In respect to MAA, we agreed to an extension of our MOU to include 2010-11.  In spite of its complicated rationale, inconvenient documentation process, and protracted funding delays, MAA participation has been a lucrative investment for both CUTA members and CUSD.  We encourage your ongoing participation.

We also agreed on MOU language to utilize the AERIES grade book program in all secondary classrooms.  While some members made the legitimate argument that we have past practice to prevent the district from making AERIES use compulsory, the Bargaining team and our Executive Board decided that many of the issues related to AERIES involved the haphazard training  prior to its implementation. Our agreement delays mandatory use of AERIES at the secondary level until the start of 2011-12.  In return, the district will train and fund an AERIES support person on each site, and will provide an optional half day training opportunity for all teaching staff before the end of 2010-11.

Extended Day Kindergarten can potentially deliver academic benefits, is the preference of many kindergarten teachers, and favored by a great many parents.  It will arguably make CUSD more competitive in the current charter climate, protecting enrollment not just for kindergarten but throughout K-12 in CUSD.  Prior to our demand to bargain, CUSD had already advertised the, as of yet, undefined extended day kindergarten program and was meeting with teachers at the kindergarten level. It became apparent that the program as it was being discussed involved serious exceptions to our contract.  Through survey and other communications, the Bargaining team heeded concerns and tried to address the needs of individual school sites and teachers. 

If implemented poorly, it may be short-lived and detrimental to much more than just the students involved.   

NOTE - The extended day Kindergarten language was voted on and passed on March 28th as pilot language.

Still unresolved is a process for addressing staff friction prior to utilizing involuntary transfer for corroborated staff friction.

In anticipation of further changes to the JPA Red benefit plan, we submitted an additional demand to bargain.  It is our expectation that CUSD will make good their commitment to provide the plan in full. We hope that the district demonstrates considerably more commitment to their contractual promise than it did in 2010.  Last year the district agreed to provide the plan for three years then, yet weeks later moved to eviscerate the plan by way of sharply increased out of pocket costs to members.

Read More Online - Chico News & Review 

Bargaining in the light CUSD and trustees talk about the prospect of public negotiations

The Empty Bowls Fundraiser will be on Friday, April 15th in Lincoln Hall at Chico High. There will be 2 seatings: one at 5:00 and one at 6:15. On  Thursday, April 14th, CUTA members will be making secret Moretti soup and chili to donate to the cause. Kevin Moretti is always looking for CUTA members who are willing to help him prepare the food. 

Contact him at kmoretti@chicousd.org.